1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of mounting hardware. More specifically, the invention comprises a stand and adjustable mounting head which can be used to adjustably mount a piece of hardware such as a spotting scope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telescopic “spotting scopes” have been in common use for many years. These optical devices are used to visually inspect objects at great distances. They require substantial magnification, typically in the range of 20× to 50×. Such scopes are difficult to hold steadily by hand. They are therefore often mounted on a tripod.
One common use for such spotting scopes is in the field of target shooting. Targets may be located 300 yards or more away from the shooter. The spotting scope must be aimed at the target, and must provide enough magnification for the shooter to accurately see the bullet strikes on the target (often holes in a piece of paper). A bullet hole may only be 0.200 to 0.300 inches in diameter. Thus, the reader will perceive the need for great magnification.
Those skilled in the art will realize that the spotting scope must be very carefully aimed and then locked on the target. It must then be held steadily. Even a slight shift will take the target out of the scope's field of view. However, the mounting system must also be easy to adjust so that the user can move the scope onto the target while looking through the eyepiece. In addition, the height and orientation of the mounting system must be easily adjusted to allow the user to employ the scope without unduly disturbing the shooting process.
As one example, some shooting competitions are conducted from the “off hand” position. “Off hand” means that the user is standing upright without any supplemental means of holding the rifle. Ideally, the user will fire a shot and then immediately look into the spotting scope to observe the bullet strike. In this situation, the spotting scope needs to be held near the user and roughly at eye level. A tall stand is obviously needed.
Prior art devices for holding spotting scopes and similar articles do exist. However, they typically have multiple locking features governing their various degrees of freedom. These are cumbersome to use.